Bruce Anderson nets late penalty equaliser as Kilmarnock earn Hibernian draw

Posted Monday, September 02, 2024 by PA

Bruce Anderson’s late penalty gave bottom side Kilmarnock their first point of the William Hill Premiership season from a 1-1 draw with Hibernian.

There was little between the sides at Rugby Park until the 49th minute when Hibs captain Joe Newell spectacularly curled a ball from distance into the Killie net.

Derek McInnes’ side, who exited the Conference League qualifiers against Copenhagen on Thursday night, could not find a way back, although skipper Kyle Vassell hit the post in the second half after missing a great chance early in the game.

However, in the 89th minute of normal time, Anderson was fouled inside the box by defender Jordan Obita and got up to slot in his spot-kick for his first Kilmarnock goal.

The result leaves the Ayrshire side behind second-bottom Hearts on goal difference, while David Gray’s men – on two points – are also still looking for their first league win of the season.

Hibs, with deadline-day signing Nectar Triantis making his first start after rejoining on loan from English Championship side Sunderland, started brightly but it was the home side who should have taken the lead. Soon after, Killie defender Corrie Ndaba was booked by referee Calum Scott for a crunching tackle on defender Lewis Miller.

A Danny Armstrong corner from the left was headed on by Joe Wright to the back post where captain Vassell was waiting to tap in but the ball seemed to come off the striker and somehow Hibernian goalkeeper Josef Bursik emerged with the ball in his hands.

In the 25th minute, Vassell headed a cross from Matty Kennedy over the crossbar before Armstrong fired wide of the far post with a 25-yard drive.

Hibs had shown little offensively until the 28th minute when Killie keeper Kieran O’Hara was forced into a fine save from Kwon Hyeok-kyu’s powerful volley from the edge of the box, the home side then surviving a couple of corners.

O’Hara was called into action again in the 42nd minute when Hibs striker Mykola Kukharevych’s audacious effort from just inside the Kilmarnock half had to be tipped over the crossbar.

However, the Rugby Park stopper was beaten four minutes into the second half when Newell took a short corner on the right to Martin Boyle and with the return pass, he curled the ball into the box and it flew past O’Hara and into the far corner of the net.

The goal sparked a positive reaction from Killie, although – in the 63rd minute – Kwon’s cross to the back post was met by defender Marvin Ekpiteta but he headed wide from six yards out, thus passing up a great chance.

Triantis then weaved his way in to the Killie box and rattled the woodwork from 16 yards before Vassell battled for possession inside the Hibs penalty area after taking an Anderson pass and toe-poked the ball against the post, before Hibs got it to safety.

In the 73rd minute, McInnes brought on five substitutes at one time – Bobby Wales, Rory McKenzie, Jack Burroughs, Innes Cameron and Fraser Murray – in a bid to stimulate the final stages and, when Anderson was tumbled to the ground by Obita, referee Scott pointed to the penalty spot.

After a VAR check, Anderson sent Bursik the wrong way for a deserved point, with six added minutes unable to provide a winner.